In my experience, I've noted more Braves fans at Astros/Braves games than Cubs fans at Astros/Cubs games. The number of Braves fans is ridiculous - especially at the last game the Astros played at the Astrodome (oh, the bad memories from that game!:cuss: ) But, I don't think it's even 30%.
I attribute this to many people my age growing up with the "Superstations" (WGN and TBS). I remember coming home everyday after school and a Cubs or Braves game would be on TV. I stuck to the Astros as they were the first team I ever saw live and I beleive they played the Cubs, this was back in 88 when Nolan was still with the Astros. I would sometimes get fed up with Cubs and Braves games as a kid cause it meant Saved By The Bell didn't come on, hey I needed my Kelly Kapowski!
Kelly Kapowski I was all about Kelly Kapowski in my day. Lisa wasn't bad either and Jessie wins the bronze. Did I just admit to watching Saved by the Bell? I liked the Cubs & Braves growing up because of TBS & WGN (late 80s) but I hate the Braves now for no apparent reason. Maybe because of Chipper Jones. Also, cheering for the Astros over the last 8 yrs or so has made me anti-Cubs (somewhat). I still wanted them to be in the World Series to make it interesting but you gotta like those scrappy Marlins. I named my cat Pudge about 6 yrs ago when he played for the Rangers. Enron/Astros/Minute Maid Park has made baseball 1,000 times more enjoyable than it used to be in the Astrodome. Baseball should be played outside when possible.
I agree with you BengalB except for the above. IMO, Alou would have caught it had the guy not got in the way. Regardless, the kid didn't cost them the game only a possible out. Instead of 8 or 9 to 3 (what ever it was) it probably would have been 6 - 3 atleast. I don't blame the guy, how often does one get a chance to catch a foul ball when he is watching his beloved team. He probably had no idea where he was relative to the wall when it happened.
Re: Re: Help Steve Bartman Hell, I would have done the same thing. The ball was in the seats so he really didn't 'interfere' like leaning out into the field or something like that. Everyone around him was reaching for that ball too. Unfortunately for him...he got it.:shock: I feel bad for the guy!
What's wrong with Saved by the Bell? And what's wrong with the fact that I know that it comes on every day at 11:00 on TBS? As far as Bartman, he never saw Alou coming as he was looking at the ball the whole time. Also, his seats weren't on field level but 8-10 feet off the field, so it's not like he should have been aware that a player could be coming to get the foul ball. If he was at field level he should have known to let the player come into the stands but where he was sitting a player coming into the stands to get the ball would not be expected. THe person who really deserves blame is the shortstop that booted a sunday hop double play ball that would have ended the inning with the score 3-1. Even though you can't assume a double play, his name should be synonymous with Buckner (who shouldn't bear all the blame for his error though either). The team lost the game, not Steve Bartman.
what about the million dollar shortstop that booted the ball soon after the foul ball? The fans should be on his butt because he gets paid to catch them, plus, he had a glove and the fan didn't! The fan was in the first row of seats, he had to know that Alou might be trying to catch it. Did anyone see the face of the guy in the gray shirt that tried to catch it, but didn't? He seemed petrified when he saw Alou going nuts.
The shortstop would be Alex Gonzales since both the Cubs and the Marlins shortstops were named Alex Gonzales. And don't forget that on the next pitch after the Bartman-Alou incident that Mark Prior threw a ball 4 wild pitch that not only put another runner of first base but allowed the runner on 3rd to score the Marlins first run of the game. Buckner was a player who booted the easy roller to first that would have ended the Curse of the Bambino in 1986. The name of Bill Buckner will forever be associated with that by the Dead Sox fans but Buckner was a highly payed player who is not a Boston native and who played for a few other teams in his baseball career. Wherever Bill Buckner is living after his retirement from baseball I would bet anybody any amount of money he dosen't live in Boston. Sox fans can hate Buckner forever and it won't affect his quality of life. On the other hand Steve Bartman, a regular guy native Chicagoan and lifelong Cubs fan who was way less responsible for the continuation of the Cubs curse than Buckner is for the Sox curse is now under police protection and has been offered asylum by Jeb Bush, the governor of the state whose team is now in the World Series. I can almost wish it had been me sitting in the seats Bartman had. I would have probably done the same thing in trying to catch the foul ball, the fans would have thown beer and peanuts at me as I was escorted out of the "Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field under police protection but unlike Steve I would have caught the next flight home to Louisiana. I wouldn't like being hated by all the Cubs fans but I could live with it as long as the Chicago Mob didn't put out a contract on me.
